Luxury pret vs luxury unstitched lawn: which is right for you?

Fit and sizing

Pret is cut to the brand’s size chart, and those charts vary from label to label; see brand size charts vs made-to-measure. If your measurements fall neatly into one size, pret can fit well straight away. If you are between sizes, tall, petite or a different size on top and bottom, it will probably need altering.

Luxury pret can be harder to alter than everyday pret. Embroidery is placed for the brand’s size, seam allowances are often narrow, and lined or embellished pieces take longer to unpick. Taking in is usually possible; letting out is limited. Our guide to altering a ready-made suit explains what can change. Unstitched lawn avoids all of this, because it is cut to your measurements from the start.

Choice, design and timing

With pret, what you see is what you get: the neckline, sleeves, length and lining were decided by the brand, and you can wear it as soon as it arrives. With unstitched lawn you choose all of those, and can adjust the design for modesty, comfort or your figure, but it needs time to be stitched. Production time and shipping costs are confirmed in your written quote before you commit, and we cannot guarantee delivery dates, so leave plenty of time before an occasion such as Eid.

One thing to watch with unstitched: the catalogue photo shows a styled version that the pack may not fully recreate. Our guide to recreating the catalogue look explains why.

Looking at the whole cost

Compare like with like. For pret, the real cost is the price plus any alterations; for unstitched, it is the fabric plus stitching and lining. Luxury pret often costs more than the unstitched version of a similar design because the making is included, but that varies by label and season. If you are ordering from abroad, add delivery and any import charges your country applies to either route.

Think about cost per wear too. A luxury pret outfit that fits well and is worn often is good value; one that needs heavy alteration, or sits unworn because the neckline is not quite right, is not. The same goes for unstitched lawn: an embroidered pack only pays off once it is stitched, so budget for the stitching and lining when you buy the fabric, not months later.

Which to choose

• Choose luxury pret if you need the outfit quickly, fit a brand’s size well and love the design exactly as shown.
• Choose luxury unstitched lawn if fit matters most, you want to choose the neckline, sleeves and length, or you are hard to fit in standard sizes.
• Already bought pret that is almost right? Alterations to existing garments are not one of our services, so take it to a tailor who can see it and pin it on you. If it cannot be altered well, or you would rather have one that fits from the start, we can make a new outfit to your measurements: see custom stitching or start a quote.
• Have an unstitched pack? Send photos through the stitching quote form, and see the unstitched suit stitching page for how it works.